Adam Houghton uses Timeform ratings to highlight the best two-year-olds we've seen so far in 2023 ahead of Royal Ascot.
Six-furlong colts
Asadna (109p) and River Tiber (104p) are both clearly very promising, though it’s possible to make the case that Asadna should be favourite for the Coventry Stakes such was the impression he created when making a successful debut at Ripon last month.
Asadna quickened clear late on to win that novice event by 12 lengths and his outstanding timefigure provided plenty of substance to the form. Very few juveniles run to such a high level on debut and George Boughey’s colt looks the one to beat on Timeform ratings.
Ballydoyle is usually the first place to look when trying to identify the Coventry winner – Aidan O’Brien is the leading trainer in the race’s history with nine wins – and River Tiber is the pick of that team.
A 10-length debut winner at Navan in April, River Tiber was possibly unsuited by the drop back to five furlongs at Naas last time, but he was ultimately well on top at the line, landing the spoils by two and a half lengths in the style of one who relish a return to six at Royal Ascot.
Givemethebeatboys (103p) looks well worth his place in the Coventry after making it two from two in the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh last time, digging deep to get the verdict by a head from Noche Magica (103p), with the same distance back to His Majesty (102p) in third. The runner-up impressed with the way he went through the race and remains one to be positive about, though is likely to drop back to five furlongs at Royal Ascot for the Norfolk Stakes.
Five-furlong colts
Just four days after Asadna’s tour de force at Ripon, Elite Status (109p) showed himself to be a two-year-old of similar merit when maintaining his unbeaten record in what looked a red-hot renewal of the National Stakes at Sandown, storming clear in the final furlong to land the spoils by five lengths in devastating fashion.
Again, that effort was backed up by the clock and Elite Status seems sure to take plenty of beating at Royal Ascot on that showing. After all, the form he showed at Sandown is already good enough to win an average running of the Norfolk, while the small ‘p’ attached to his rating denotes that he is likely to progress further.
US trainer Wesley Ward has a fascinating runner in the Norfolk as he seeks a third success in the race with American Rascal (103p). Ward has won 12 races at Royal Ascot in total, including the Queen Mary Stakes on four occasions, notably with American Rascal’s dam, Lady Aurelia, in 2016. This colt looks to have inherited plenty of his dam’s speed judged on his debut victory on the dirt at Keeneland in April, cruising clear in the final furlong to win by 10 lengths.
Six-furlong fillies
Carla’s Way (102p) saw the trip out well when making a successful debut over six and a half furlongs at Doncaster earlier this month considering the time it took her to settle, and the form of her two-and-a-quarter-length success from Star of Mystery (94p) was given a notable boost by the runner-up winning her next start at Haydock by 11 lengths. She now looks the one to beat in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
In Ireland, Porta Fortuna (101p) has followed an identical path to Royal Ascot as last year’s Albany winner, Meditate, who had also won a maiden at the Curragh and the Fillies’ Sprint Stakes at Naas. Unbeaten in the same two races in 2023, Porta Fortuna hasn’t been winning by wide margins, but she impressed with the striking turn of foot she showed at Naas to get the verdict by a neck from Navassa Island (100p).
The first two pulled four and a half lengths of the rest and Royal Ascot looks the logical next step for both fillies. Navassa Island, in particular, is open to more improvement given that she was making her debut when going so close at Naas, certainly no forlorn to reverse the form with Porta Fortuna.
Jabaara (94P) and Soprano (91p) are a couple of other fillies to look out for having impressed on their respective debuts at Newmarket. Jabaara won the same novice in which Roger Varian introduced the 2019 Albany winner Daahyeh and this filly looks open to significant improvement having overcome trouble to win by three quarters of a length with plenty in hand. As for Soprano, she was a comfortable winner over five furlongs on debut, but she is reportedly being aimed at the Albany and should have no issues staying six.
Five-furlong fillies
Karl Burke has already won 14 races with his two-year-olds in 2023 – more than any other trainer in Britain and Ireland – and the exciting Elite Status is joined in that team by a pair of leading contenders for the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, namely Beautiful Diamond (95p) and Got To Love A Grey (93p).
Beautiful Diamond created a good impression when making a successful debut at Nottingham earlier this month, drawing clear in the final furlong to win by three and a half lengths, while Got To Love A Grey showed an excellent attitude when following up her debut victory in the Marygate Stakes at York last time. Both fillies are open to improvement and give Burke a very strong hand as he tries to follow up Dramatised’s Queen Mary win in 2022.
Born To Rock (93p) made a very promising start to her career when scoring at Yarmouth last month, ultimately winning by four and a quarter lengths having quickened clear over a furlong out. She looks a useful prospect for Jane Chapple-Hyam, a comment which also applies to the William Haggas-trained Relief Rally (88p), who was well on top at the finish when making it two from two in a conditions event at Salisbury last month.
Crimson Advocate (91p) looks the most interesting of the US raiders in the Queen Mary having stepped up on her debut form with a dominant three-and-a-half-length win at Gulfstream last time.
Seven-furlong colts
Charlie Appleby hasn’t been firing in the two-year-old winners on a regular basis in 2023, but the yard has been represented by a couple of very bright prospects at Haydock in recent weeks, with Ancient Wisdom (100P) and By The Book (91p) both running out impressive winners on debut.
Ancient Wisdom cost €2,000,000 as a yearling and looked every inch the smart prospect he’s bred to be in justifying short odds on his first run, drawing right away in the final furlong to win by five lengths. He is open to significant improvement, while By The Book should have also more to offer having won by three and a quarter lengths on his own debut, looking value for a fair bit extra considering he was green and made his effort from rear in a steadily-run race.
Irish winners Spanish Flame (94p), Islandsinthestream (88p) and Deepone (86p) have also impressed. Spanish Flame, in particular, looked one to follow when getting off the mark at Roscommon on his second start, winning by six lengths, while Islandsinthestream won a maiden at the Curragh which has an illustrious roll of honour. Lope Y Fernandez (2019) and Point Lonsdale (2021) feature among the recent winners, while Derby winner Auguste Rodin was second in 2022.
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